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The WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care provide health-care workers (HCWs), hospital administrators and health authorities with a thorough review of evidence on hand hygiene in health care and specific recommendations to improve practices and reduce transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to patients and HCWs. The present Guidelines are intended to be implemented in any situation in which health care is delivered either to a patient or to a specific group in a population. Therefore, this concept applies to all settings where health care is permanently or occasionally performed, such as home care by birth attendants. Definitions of health-care settings are proposed in Appendix 1. These Guidelines and the associated WHO Multimodal Hand Hygiene Improvement Strategy and an Implementation Toolkit (http://www.who.int/gpsc/en/) are designed to offer health-care facilities in Member States a conceptual framework and practical tools for the application of recommendations in practice at the bedside. While ensuring consistency with the Guidelines recommendations, individual adaptation according to local regulations, settings, needs, and resources is desirable. This extensive review includes in one document sufficient technical information to support training materials and help plan implementation strategies. The document comprises six parts.

The second edition of this book provides a practical guide to the latest diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in orthopedics for both the upper and lower limb. Extensively revised chapters provide detailed step-by-step instructions on how to perform basic clinical and surface, anatomy examinations on joints including the hand, elbow and ankle. The application of relevant surgical procedures and post-operative management techniques are also detailed. New topics covered include cruciate ligament injuries, and robot assisted surgery. Orthopedics of the Upper and Lower Limb is an ideal resource for trainees and junior surgeons seeking an easy to follow clinical manual on how to successfully diagnose and treat patients with orthopedic disorders affecting both limbs. It is also of use to the experienced practitioner seeking a detailed resource on the latest advances in the field.

This issue of Hand Clinics, guest edited by John Fowler and Richard J. Tosti, will cover a number of essential topic pertaining to Hand Infections. This issue is one of four issues selected each year by series Consulting Editor, Dr. Kevin Chung. Topics in this issue will include: Epidemiology and Public Health Burden of Hand Infections; Imaging/Lab work-up for Hand Infections; Antibiotic Management and Antibiotic Resistance; Hand Abscesses (Volar and Dorsal); Fingertip Infections (Felon/Paronychia); Flexor Tenosynovitis; Septic Joints (Finger and Wrist); Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections in the Upper Extremity; Fungal Infections (including nail); Complications of Hand Infections; Soft Tissue Coverage for Severe Infections; Pediatric Hand Infections, among others.

This issue of Hand Clinics, guest edited by series consulting editor, Dr. Kevin C. Chung, will focus on Health Policy and Advocacy in Hand Surgery. This issue is one of four issues selected each year by Dr. Chung. Key topics discussed in this issue include, but are not limited to: Impact of Evidence and Health Policy on Hand Surgery Practice; Navigating the Intersection of Evidence and Policy in Hand Surgery Practice; Translating Hand Surgery Evidence into Practice and Policy; Using Evidence for Hand Surgery: How to Practice Evidence-Based Hand Surgery Care; Impact of the Current United States Healthcare Environment on Practice: A Private Practice Viewpoint; Influence of the United States Healthcare Environment and Reform on Academic Healthcare Practice; Leveraging the Electronic Medical Record System to Enhance Hand Surgery Practice; How to Capture Suitable Revenue: Reimbursement and the Current Healthcare Environment with Considerations of Bundled Payments; Evidence-Based Hand Therapy and It's Impact on Health Care Policy; Access to Hand Therapy Following Surgery in United States: Barriers and Facilitators; The Intersection of Hand Surgery Practice and Industry; Establishment of a National Hand Surgery Data Registry; Providing Hand Surgery Care to the Vulnerably Uninsured Patient; Impact of Healthcare Reform on Innovation and Technology; and Health Policy Evaluation in Hand Surgery: Evaluating What Works, among others.